EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern scored three straight goals in the final 12 minutes of the game to rally from a 7-6 deficit and defeat Ohio, 9-8, Friday afternoon in American Lacrosse Conference action. Lindsey Hart led all scorers with five goals, while Melissa Menna added a pair of goals. Sarah Albrecht, Courtney Koester and Angela McMahon each tallied two goals for the Wildcats (3-7, 1-2).

Northwestern jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the game's first 13 minutes. But Ohio (6-4, 0-3) answered with three straight in an eight-minute span to even the game by intermission. Hart scored unassisted at the 18:55 mark and added her second at the 26:46 mark to tie the game. In between, freshman Kristen Gombeski found the net 20:56 into the contest.

The Wildcats, in their first season of varsity lacrosse since 1991, tallied the first two goals of the second half to go up 5-3 with 22:54 remaining in the game. Hart earned a hat trick at the 39:17 mark but Northwestern went back ahead by two, 6-4, just over two minutes later.

But Ohio surged ahead, 7-6, with three straight goals. Menna tallied her two in succession, at 42:30 and 45:45, before Hart broke the tie with 11:30 left in the contest.

Jenna Gantner tied the game 1:16 later before Koester scored the go-ahead goal on a free position shot at the 53:28 mark. The Wildcats added a much needed insurance goal after 88 seconds to secure the win as Hart closed the gap and ended the Bobcat rally with her fifth of the day with 41 seconds left.

Becky Oxman had two assists and Gombeski one in the offensive attack, which saw Ohio outshoot the Wildcats 20-17. Jennifer Cassidy made nine saves on the defensive end.

Ohio is now off for a week before traveling to Niagara and Canisius next weekend.